shot-holes and setting strong gangs to work the pumps,
the prize was kept afloat sufficiently long to get out some of the
provisions and water, as well as a portion of her cargo. The priests
again loudly called on their countrymen to assist them in transferring
the goods to the _Madeline_, though few of them showed any disposition
to do so, but by the assistance of the French crew, their valuables were
at length got out of the sinking ship.

The rest of the fleet had now come up, and the prisoners were
distributed among them. The priests, however, would not desert their
baggage, which, they insisted, was their own private property.

"If it is found to be so on inspection you shall retain it," observed
Captain Beauport; "but as the cases may possibly contain munitions of
war, we cannot allow them without examination to fall into the hands of
your countrymen."

The priests protested that there was nothing warlike in them, but the
captain was determined to have the cases examined. On opening them one
was found to contain a large coarsely painted figure of the Virgin and
Child, another half a dozen small figure of saints, the third was full
of flat leaden figures and crosses.

"What are these?" asked the captain, coming to a fourth, full of small
boxes and parcels.

"Those," answered the priest, who was looking indignantly on, "are the
bones of saints and martyrs. Let them not be touched, I beseech you, by
sacrilegious hands."

Each package was labelled, a score or more having the name of Saint
Anthony.

"Why, you must have got two or three saints' bodies here," exclaimed the
captain.

"Only a very small portion of one, indeed," answered the priest; "a hair
from his beard or a paring from his toe-nail is of value equal to the
whole of his leg."

"And what are these other packages?" inquired the captain.

"Each contains some precious relic, efficacious in curing every disease
to which the human body is liable," answered the priest.

"Nonsense!" exclaimed the captain; "we cannot allow such rubbish to
remain on board."

"You will be guilty of horrible sacrilege and unheard-of cruelty to the
settlers and poor natives, if you throw these precious relics into the
sea, and deprive them of the benefits they will bring."

"We will see about it," answered the captain. "What are these bales?"
he asked, pointing to some canvas packages, which he ordered his men to
rip open.

The priests made no reply. They wer